Convertible can-opener



W. H. ROACH.

CONVERTIBLE CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FII .ED MAY24,1919.

naw/MM WILLIAM H. ROACH, 0F LINDSAY, CALIFORNIA.

CONVERTIBLE CAN -OPEI\TER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed May 24, 1919. Serial No. 299,533.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. Forum, a citizen of the United States of America, residin at Lindsay, in the county of Tulare and tate of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Convertible Can-Openers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a convertible tool consisting of a can opener, corkscrew, and bottle-cap remover, wherein-efliciency in operation is combined with compactness of structure; and to this end the invention consists in a construction, combination and relation of parts hereinafter fully described, it being understood that changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the principles involved.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of the tool indicating its position when in use as a can opener,

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a detail transverse section on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

:Fig. 1 is a detail view of the blade, and

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the rest.

The shank or handle 10 is preferably of looped form and is extended to provide a hook-shaped head 11, the base 12 of whichcarries a blade 13 which intersects or extends across the throat of the hook in the plane of a rest, 14: having a concaved and corrugated face 15 for contact with the side surface of a can, such as indicated in dotted lines at 16 in Fig. 1 in the operation of removing the can top. Theblade is preferably provided with a beveledcutting edge, the bevel being on the underside or away from the plane of the hook-shaped head 11, so that in the removal of the cam head the beveled surface of the cutting edge serves to turn the edge of the wall of the can outward and downward to leave an unobstructed inner surface of the can wall and thus afford no obstruction at the edge to interfere with he removal of the contents of the can.

' Pivotally mounted as at 17 upon the shank or handle is a corkscrew bit 18 adapted to be folded entirely withinthe plane of the handle to occupy a position between the side surfaces thereof so as not to obstruct the grip upon the tool'when the can-opening element 1s in use, and at an intermediate point the sides-of the looped handle are connected by a bridge-piece or cross-bar 19 having a seat 20 of bayonet slot formation for the reception of the point of the .corkscrew bit when folded, so as to further protect the hand of the operator when the said bit is in its folded position and the can opener is in use. ThIS bridge-piece or brace is extended terminally to form ears 21 which combine to form a bottle-cap remover for use in connect1on with the ordinary crimped caps. The portion of the shank or handle beyond the cap-engaglng' jaws or ears 21 serves as a suitable rest or fulcrum upon the bottle cap in removing the latter from a bottle.

From the above description it will be seen that whereas the can-opener blade is protected by the hook-shaped head when the corkscrew or bottle decapping elements are employed, the looped form of the shank or handle serves as a housing for the corkscrew and decapping jaws 21 when the can-opener element is employed. The reduction of the blade of the can opener to a point provides for the ready engagement thereof with the side wall of a can, and the insertion of the blade to an extent sufiicient to bring the bearing element 14 into engagement with the side of the canleaves the bearing element a fulcrum for the movement of the tool in detaching the can top. The leverage in the use of the can-opening feature may be modified by the extent of introduction of the blade and hence the angular location of the length of the tool with reference to the diameter of the can upon which the operation is being performed.

What is claimed is A tool of the class described having a shank or handle and a hook-shaped head, a bearing element depending from the extremity of the head and provided with a corrugated concave bearing surface for contact with a ca'nwall, and a longitudinal tapering blade intersecting the throat of said head in the plane of the said bearing element, the

hook overhanging and engaging the top of the can to act as a guide for the blade during the cutting operation of the latter.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM H. ROACH. 

